


Hominin Tools

by valantha



Series: LJ prompt [16]
Category: Revolution (TV)
Genre: Angst, Episode: s01e04 The Plague Dogs, Gen, LJ 60 prompts in 60 days, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-22
Updated: 2013-09-22
Packaged: 2017-12-27 07:47:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/976261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valantha/pseuds/valantha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Obsidian, fire, and language: hominin tools used for creative and destructive purposes. This is for the LJ 60 prompts in 60 days: Glass.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hominin Tools

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note: One line of dialogue taken from 1.04 – written by Anne Cofell Saunders  
> Trigger warning: Thoughts of suicide.

Rachel turned the crystal decanter in her hand, admiring the cascading lightshow produced by the interplay of lamplight on cut glass.

**Glass** : an amorphous solid composed mostly of silicon dioxide with other dopants. The first usage of glass was for obsidian weapons. Much later glass beads were made, and then other decorative or useful objects. Trust humans – no, hominins – to use something as a weapon first, and then only later turn it to other uses.

Rachel set the decanter of wine down with a dull thump. The ancient oak desk hardly noticed, but the flame in the gas lamp flickered slightly at the vibrations.

**Fire** : the exothermic process of rapidly oxidizing materials via combustion; sometimes burns hot enough to produce ionized plasma. Another tool of early hominins sometimes used for constructive – useful – purposes, frequently used for destruction. Just take the awful human inventions of Greek fire, gunpowder, and napalm.

The flickering illuminated the leather-bound books and journals Bass deemed as suitable entertainment for her. Books. Written Language. Language in general. Another destructive hominin tool. Would humankind have expanded over the world, developed agriculture, war, science, and nuclear weapons without language? With humans even  _creation_  was destruction.

**Language** : a complex method of communicating even abstract ideas. A way to stab at poorly-healed wounds. A way to ask 'What kind of mother are you?' A way to convey 'We'll rip out your son's molars until you start talking.'

If only she could end her existence – sever an artery perhaps – but she was too late. It wouldn't help Danny at all. Bass would just have his now-worthless hostage killed. The only way to keep him safe was to dance to Bass' tune on this tightrope of trying to protect her baby from harm while keeping the nanites functional and him breathing. Without language she'd have no way to betray her son; without language she wouldn't  _need_  to…

Rachel poured herself a glass of wine. She needed the ethanol to sleep. She needed the sleep to stay sharp. She needed to stay sharp to keep Danny safe. She needed to keep Danny safe to have this travesty of a life mean  _anything_.


End file.
